and shall not see a farm-house, but
ruinous wastes, for the quarrel of a broken Covenant and wrongs done to
the Son of God."

This servant of God had profound knowledge of Bible doctrines. He had a
masterly conception of the crown rights of Jesus Christ, and the
fundamental principles of His kingdom. He had vivid views of the
excellence of holiness, and the atrocity of sin. This filled him, like
the Psalmist, with horror at the doom of transgressors. His inner life
was fiercely swept with the contrary passions of love for righteousness,
and hatred for iniquity. His soul was the scene of terrific conflicts.
His preaching and praying against the powers of darkness often revealed
an internal tragedy. One night while preaching to the Covenanters who
had assembled in a sheep-house, he cried out, "Black, black, black will
be the day, that shall come upon Ireland; they shall travel forty miles,
and not see a reeking house, or hear a crowing cock." Then, clapping his
hands with dramatic effect, he exclaimed: "Glory, glory to the Lord,
that He has accepted a bloody sacrifice of a sealed testimony off
Scotland's hand."

Peden could not brook any departure from Christ and His Covenant.
Covenant-breaking was, in his eyes, a most aggravated sin. He was quick
to see the Lord coming to avenge the quarrel of His Covenant, and his
soul was filled with dread.

Here are some of his utterances:

"Oh, my heart trembles within me, to think what is coming on the
backsliding, soul-murdering ministers of Scotland!

"He is not worth his room, that prays not half his time, to see if he
can prevent the dreadful wrath, that is coming on our poor motherland.

"Thirty-six years ago our Lord had a numerous train of ministers in
Scotland, but one blast blew six hundred of them away, and they never
returned.

"I shall tell you the right way of covenanting with God; it is when
Christ and believers meet; and our Lord gives them His laws, statutes,
and commandments; and charges them not to quit a hoof of them; no,
though they should be torn into a thousand pieces. And the right
Covenanter says, Amen."

Peden never married. During twenty-four years of wanderings, his life
was pathetically lonely. When death was approaching, he returned to the
old home, to spend his last days amid the scenes of his childhood. His
brother still dwelt there. He received a cordial welcome, though his
presence imperiled the family; for the dragoons were still pursuing